Many miles of asphalt-surfaced roadways have been built to facilitate vehicular travel. Depending upon usage density, base conditions, temperature variation, moisture variation, and/or physical age, the asphalt surface eventually becomes misshapen, non-planar, unable to support wheel loads, or otherwise unsuitable for vehicular traffic.
In order to rehabilitate the roadways for continued vehicular use, spent asphalt may be removed in preparation for resurfacing. One device utilized for the removal of spent asphalt is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,207 (the '207 patent) issued to Eftefield et al. on Dec. 24, 1985. The '207 patent describes an asphalt processor having a leading edge which is insertable between a ribbon of asphalt and a base to provide separation of the asphalt from a partial width of a roadway surface. A ramp and elevating structure guide the separated asphalt ribbon into a pair of breaker drums, which are rotatable in opposite circumferential directions to bend and facture the asphalt ribbon. As the asphalt ribbon is fractured, the resulting fragments may be deposited in an accompanying transport work machine for hauling away from the worksite.
Although the asphalt processor of the '207 patent may sufficiently remove spent asphalt from a roadway surface, it may be depth and/or contour limited. In particular, because the asphalt processor of the '207 patent is designed to separate an asphalt ribbon only from a base, it may be limited from removing layers of asphalt at varying depths within the asphalt ribbon. In addition, because the asphalt processor of the '207 patent includes only a single leading edge, it may be incapable of removing asphalt at a desired contour such as, for example, at a contour substantially matching a crown of a roadway surface.
The disclosed asphalt-removing work machine is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.